Qualls/Seelbach plan to further reduce public safety layoffs

Two Cincinnati Council Members are supporting a plan to eliminate all the proposed firefighter layoffs while reducing police officer layoffs to 25.

Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls and Council Member Chris Seelbach announced the proposal Thursday.

“We will continue to look for additional savings that could reduce layoffs even further,” Qualls said in a press release. “We must preserve essential services that keep all of our neighborhoods safe and clean.”

The motion would make the following changes to the budget proposed by the manager, resulting in a savings of $607,000:

Double the cost savings (furlough) days for supervisory and leadership personnel from five to ten, for a savings of $250,000

Ask all members of council to take the equivalent of ten cost savings days through payroll deductions for a savings of $22,700

Reduce council office budgets for a total of $18,000

Reduce the Clerk of Council’s budget by $46,000

Merge the departments of Community Development and Economic Development, for a savings of $171,000

A reduction of $100,000 in the account for firefighter’s protective gear.

The Qualls/Seelbach motion follows the mayor's budget plan Wednesday, which also reduced the number of public safety layoffs.

“I am proud to stand with Vice Mayor Qualls to put forth a plan to eliminate firefighter layoffs and dramatically reduce police layoffs,” Seelbach said in a release. “Public safety continues to be a top priority in Cincinnati.”